Stratford-on-Avon

Stratford-on-Avon's population expanded between the last two censuses. Data from the census also show there were changes in average age, housing tenure and religion.

The population passed 120,000

In the decade leading up to the most recent census, the population of Stratford-on-Avon increased by 8.1%, from just over 111,000 to 120,000.

The addition of about 9,000 people means this area's population increased at a similar rate to the overall population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Stratford-on-Avon was home to, on average, 0.88 people per football pitch-sized piece of land. This made it the West Midlands' third-least densely-populated district.

Population density was lower than the average across the West Midlands

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the West Midlands, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Stratford-on-Avon

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Stratford-on-Avon increased by four years, from 42 to 46 years.

This agricultural area had the second-highest average age in the West Midlands and remained older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of about 5,100 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just over 3,000.

About 14.0% of people in Stratford-on-Avon are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, West Midlands and Stratford-on-Avon by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of households in Stratford-on-Avon that rented privately increased from 9.0% to 12.7% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just over one in eight (12.9%) households lived in social housing, compared with 12.4% in 2001. The percentage of Stratford-on-Avon households that owned their home decreased from 75.4% to 71.8%.

The proportion of privately rented homes increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 7.3% in 2001 to 14.0% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.9% to 16.9%.

Private renting in Stratford-on-Avon increased by 3.7 percentage points

Percentage of households in Stratford-on-Avon, the West Midlands and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

More single people in Stratford-on-Avon

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership increased in Stratford-on-Avon, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas in the West Midlands, except Wychavon.

Every local authority area across the West Midlands saw a rise in the proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership, as the regional average grew from 28.8% to 33.7%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership was lower than across the West Midlands

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were single across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in rate of self-employment

Stratford-on-Avon saw the West Midlands' largest rise in the proportion of self-employed people.

In 2011, just under one in seven (14.1%) people aged 16 to 74 in Stratford-on-Avon said they were self-employed, compared with 12.6% in 2001. The percentage that were employed decreased from 54.8% to 53.0%.

Across the region, Sandwell saw the next largest increase in the proportion of self-employed people (from 4.5% in 2001 to 6.0% in 2011).

Every local authority area across the West Midlands saw a rise in the proportion of self-employed people, as the regional average grew from 7.4% to 8.5%.

The rate of self-employment was higher than across the West Midlands

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 that said they were self-employed across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Religion in Stratford-on-Avon

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, the largest percentage point increase in Stratford-on-Avon was among those who said they had no religion, rising 10.4 points.

In 2011, 22.8% of respondents in Stratford-on-Avon gave this religion on the census compared with 12.5% of those who answered in 2001.

Across the West Midlands, the percentage of people who answered the question on religion that described themselves as having no religion increased from 13.3% to 23.5%, while across England the percentage went from 15.7% to 26.5%.

Of those who disclosed their religion in Newham, 75.7% said they were Christian, compared with 86.5% in 2001. About 0.2% said they were Sikh, compared with 0.1% 10 years prior.

The percentage of people who disclosed a religious affiliation and did not state their religion increased from 6.7% to 7.7%.

In Stratford-on-Avon, 7.1% chose not to answer the question on religious affiliation, compared with 6.3% in 2001. In West Midlands, 6.6% did not answer the voluntary question, compared with 7.7% in 2001. Across England, 7.2% of people did not answer, compared with 7.7% in 2001.

The population without a religion in Stratford-on-Avon increased by 9.5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents who answered the voluntary question on religion in England, West Midlands and Stratford-on-Avon by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Stratford-on-Avon

The percentage of Stratford-on-Avon residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 7.9% to 8.0% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just under 1 in 30 (3.3%) reported being limited a lot in their day-to-day activities, compared with 2.4% in 2001. The percentage of Stratford-on-Avon residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 89.7% to 88.7%.

The proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 7.1% in 2001 to 6.8% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 6.8% to 6.5%.

The proportion of people who are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability was higher than across the West Midlands

Percentage of usual residents that reported being slightly limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Stratford-on-Avon residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 7.0% to 4.2% in the decade to 2011.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (83.1%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 71.5% in 2001. The percentage of Stratford-on-Avon residents that described their health as fair decreased from 21.5% to 12.7%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 9.7% in 2001 to 6.1% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Stratford-on-Avon decreased by 2.8 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Stratford-on-Avon, the West Midlands and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in Stratford-on-Avon working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 16.0% to 13.1% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just under 1 in 30 (2.9%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 1.9% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours fell here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 12.5% in 2001 to 9.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 13.0% to 10.1%.

Long hour working in Stratford-on-Avon decreased by 2.9 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Stratford-on-Avon, the West Midlands and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Stratford-on-Avon

In 2011, 97.4% of Stratford-on-Avon residents said they were from one of the White ethnic groups, up from from 98.7% in 2001.

Across the West Midlands, the percentage of people from one of the White ethnic groups fell from 88.7% to 82.7%, while across England the percentage went from 90.7% to 85.1%.

Around 1.2% of people in Stratford-on-Avon said they were from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups, compared with 0.6% in 2001. About 1.0% said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed), compared with 0.5% 10 years prior.

The percentage of people who said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups increased from 0.1% to 0.2%.

The population from one of the White ethnic groups in Stratford-on-Avon decreased by 1.3 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, West Midlands and Stratford-on-Avon by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Changing household dynamics

The percentage of households in Stratford-on-Avon, which comprised a cohabiting couple, increased from 7.7% to 8.6% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just under 3 in 10 (28.5%) households had only one person, compared with 27.1% in 2001. The percentage of households in Stratford-on-Avon which comprised a married couple (with or without children) decreased from 43.2% to 38.3%.

The proportion of households with an unmarried couple increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 7.9% in 2001 to 9.6% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 8.3% to 9.9%.

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple was lower than across the West Midlands

Percentage of households that had an unmarried couple across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Change in unpaid care provision

The percentage of Stratford-on-Avon residents that provided at least 50 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.5% to 2.1% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

The percentage who reported providing between 20 and 49 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 0.9%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 2.3% in 2001 to 2.7% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.1% to 2.4%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care in Stratford-on-Avon remained close to 2.1%

Percentage of usual residents in England, West Midlands and Stratford-on-Avon by care, March 2001 and March 2011

Changes in family structure

The percentage of households in Stratford-on-Avon with only adult children living with their parents decreased from 9.3% to 9.2% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just over one in four (26.2%) households had at least one dependent child, compared with 27.0% in 2001. While the percentage of households in Stratford-on-Avon without children increased from 63.7% to 64.6%.

The proportion of households with adult children living with their parents fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 10.3% in 2001 to 10.5% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.4% to 9.6%.

The proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents was lower than across the West Midlands

Percentage of households where a parent lived with their adult children across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

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